The Rock’s Most Exciting Movies – 7 Thrilling Dwayne Johnson Films You Absolutely Need to See

If you don’t know who The Rock is by now, you’ve probably been living under, well, a rock. Dwayne Johnson undeniably got his start in the WWE, but he’s come a long way from delivering Rock Bottoms and Jabroni-laden punch lines.

Since his wrestling days, the self proclaimed “most electrifying man in the world” has gone from the People’s Champ to perhaps the biggest blockbuster star in Hollywood.

The Rock was admittedly not taken very seriously as an actor initially, but he’s evolved in that regard. Still, his bread and butter are the big action movies that keep you on the edge of your seat.

There are some The Rock movies that are better (and more intense) than others, though. If you’re here looking for the most thrilling Dwayne Johnson films out there, I’ve got you covered with my favorite seven.

7. Furious 7 (2015)

The Rock has been in several The Fast & The Furious flicks, so it’s hard to pick just one. That said, these movies tend to be pretty balls to the wall, so if I actually included them all, this would potentially be just a rankings post on the best F&F films.

Nobody needs that, so let’s just go with the best installment. Besides, there’s bad blood after The Rock exited the original franchise.

While the debate over his departure from the F&F family is something worth diving into, we’ll save it for another day.

Seriously, it literally grades out as one of the best The Rock movies ever, with Rotten Tomatoes handing it a stellar 81% score.

6. The Rundown (2003)

It’s been a while since anyone looked back at this classic from The Rock, I’m sure. Why? Because the dude has been insanely busy churning out banger after banger, not to mention his dabbling with the WWE and his endless string of projects.

You may have forgotten about it, but this is actually what arguably got The Rock started as a successful actor. Sure, he was a WWE superstar and he flexed his muscle in The Mummy Returns and The Scorpion King, but this was easily Dwayne Johnson’s first role that displayed his dual threat ability.

Paired with funny man Sean William Scott, The Rock plays a badass chef searching for freedom in a fun buddy cop jaunt through the Amazon.

It will never be confused with anything Oscar-worthy, but this movie is a ton of fun. The Rock dominates numerous action sequences, there are some pretty intense moments, and this flick is also good for a lot of laughs.

5. Red Notice (2021)

If you want a more current version of The Rundown with an overall upgrade, consider hitting up Netflix and checking out this little gem. I’m talking about Red Notice, which has The Rock bumping heads and rubbing elbows with the always hilarious Ryan Reynolds.

The movie opens up with an FBI agent (Johnson) tracking down Reynolds, who happens to be one of the world’s most elusive art thieves. The plot only thickens from there, as the two are forced to team up (whilst constantly trying to undermine each other) to locate some precious treasure.

Along the way are many twists and turns, plenty of action, and enough laughs to balance things out. Oh, and Gal Gadot is mixed into the equation, giving this flick even more flavor and comedy than you’d originally expect.

4. Black Adam (2022)

I can’t possibly make a list of the most thrilling The Rock movies and not include his turn as the iconic anti-hero, Black Adam.

Born from the success of Shazam!, The Rock takes over the DC Universe as an awoken giant that is out for blood. Considering he and his son were killed, it’s hard to blame him.

There is a battle whirling inside Black Adam, as he tries to decided what type of hero he’ll be. Every step of the way, however, The Rock fills the shoes of this anti-hero wonderfully, and he’s aided with killer action scenes and awesome special effects.

The comic book world did not greet this film with open arms, but if you don’t take it too seriously, Black Adam is actually a pretty good time.

3. Rampage (2018)

We’ve seen The Rock in fast cars, running in the jungle, and carrying a National Treasure-style buddy cop flick with Ryan Reynolds. Hell, he’s even been an ati-hero in the DC Universe.

While those films are fantastic in their own way, they’re not quite as thrilling as watching The Rock with a massive gorilla.

That’s the backdrop for Rampage, which has Dwayne Johnson starring as a primatologist (least believable role ever) who ends up teaming up with a massive gorilla to save the city of Chicago.

Also very believable, right?

But hey, this list of the most exciting movies starring The Rock isn’t about plausibility or being grounded in reality. We want our socks blown off, we want explosions, and we want unbridled violence.

Rampage delivers that in spades, but we also get to see a softer and more intellectual side from The Rock.

Truth be told, Rampage is the total package. We get The Rock at his best, but he peels back a few new layers to the onion, and we get one hell of an action-infused ride along the way.

2. San Andreas (2015)

It arguably gets better with San Andreas. Instead of teaming up with a gigantic gorilla, The Rock scours a deteriorating California landscape in a helicopter in this blockbuster flick.

Looking for a natural disaster movie that also features a brawny stud trying to save his daughter? The match checks out with San Andreas, as Dwayne Johnson seeks out his daughter and estranged wife after a massive earthquake threatens the West Coast.

Alexandra Daddario makes a scene-stealing appearance as The Rock’s kid in danger, while the action sequences are over-the-top in the best way possible.

While not highly rated, The Rock takes you on a ride (quite literally) in a truly gripping and unforgettable performance.

1. Skyscraper (2018)

Lastly, if you’re looking for some of the best The Rock movies, you need to include the thrilling Skyscraper. It doesn’t grade out as one of the most well-rounded movies, but since this list is largely based on pumping adrenaline through our bodies, it makes the cut.

To be honest, it is arguably the most exhilarating movie The Rock has ever done.

There are some clichés to be dodged here, of course. The Rock plays a former FBI agent trying his damndest to save his family from a burning skyscraper. It’s basically San Andreas, but in a ball of fire.

The Rock exhibits a burning desire to save his family, while looking like a true hero every step of the way. It won’t win any awards for dialogue or believability, but Skyscraper is an unapologetic rush to the head that grabs onto you early and never lets go.

There are surely better The Rock movies out there. However, you didn’t come here for tears or top notch acting performance. That shouldn’t be the case anytime you want to watch a flick featuring Dwayne Johnson, after all.

I’m not saying he can’t act (he can), but what he does best is crack skulls and save people from guaranteed peril. He does that in most of the movies above, and you’re going to have an amazing time every step of the way, too.

God some other thrilling The Rock movies you feel should have been added to my list? Let’s hear all about them in the comments below!